DL Nelson is an American-born Swiss writer and journalist. Visit her website www.donnalanenelson.com

Wednesday, February 05, 2014

You can't cuddle over Skype

Years ago a friend in Toulouse and me in Geneva would each get a cup of coffee and email back and forth. It was so long ago my screen was green with yellow letters. My company wasn't quick to upgrade...in fact the then head almost refused to let the webmaster have internet access. We did work between messages and I always worked more hours than contract, so no guilt of doing personal on company time.

Volumes of emails have gone back and forth between my friends in me over the years...then came Skype.

I've used it for professional interviews, used it to stay connected on a face-to-face basis with friends all over the world. Once a friend and I even showed our breast scars (fortunately No. 2 son was no where near) over our webcams

Rick and I would not have developed our relationship as well as we did with him in TX and me in Switzerland or France. Skype allowed us to talk for hours.

Likewise, I use Skype to keep in touch with my housemate when I'm in France OR even when I'm on the 1st floor (European) 2nd (American) and she is in the basement in the same house in Geneva.

Some messages may be profound reflecting friendship and understanding, but there's also the simple conversations such as:

"Marro or Mikado for lunch?"

"Popcorn?"

"The Chase is on in 5 mins."

Originally when Rick and I went back to Argelès in December, the idea was we would live in the 2-bedroom warren I and I would use my studio nest as an office. Then I had a miserable cold leaving me in bed. Rick brought the laptop down. We discovered we could be together almost 24/7 and enjoy it, but then again when we're writing we are lost in other word worlds.

Now that we are in different countries again we are back to Skypying although no longer for hours on end.

This morning I was working early in bed on my laptop. I saw he came on line. As soon as he answered my call I saw that he was working in bed.